ASD specialised secondary near London (Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Kent)

[ASDhelpnowpls]

Name change due to sensitive and revealing details.

Can anyone please recommend an ASD specialised state or private school near London (Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Kent) for a 9 year old pre-verbal ASD. Bolt-on SEN support in mainstream schools will not cut it in our case, as he is NOT highly functioning Aspergers and needs constant "hand-holding" so looking for a specialist school of some sort.

DS has been home schooled until now due to language issues (we've been living abroad for 7 years now) so we're finding our way back to the UK system in the dark. Yet we think that small class-sizes, availability of individual 121s and a well-behaved class in general would be best.

Looking for primary now, but also thinking ahead for secondary.

Pls help! Thanks.

You might get more recommendations if you ask MNHQ to move your thread to the SN boards.

For state special schools you will need an EHCP, some non-maintained and independent special schools don’t accept self funding DC either. IPSEA and SOSSEN have lots of helpful information about applying for an EHCP on their websites.

1:1 in special schools isn’t as common as it is in mainstream schools, because the environment is geared up to meet the needs of DC better. However, if 1:1 is needed in SS it must be provided for those who have it included in their EHCP. If you are self funding the independent school is likely to charge extra.

Eton Dorney Theraputic school age up to 18 - it is in Bucks
I have no personal experience of it - I drive past it every day and so thought if this one!

@mumofEandE

Eton Dorney Theraputic school age up to 18 - it is in Bucks I have no personal experience of it - I drive past it every day and so thought if this one!

Aargh - I mean Berks (but near Bucks!)

www.etondorneyspecialschool.co.uk/curriculum-principles/

I only know of Tree Tops in Essex.

@RandomMess

I only know of Tree Tops in Essex.

Isn't Tree Tops in Muswell Hill?

I'm not in your area, sadly, but taught children like your son in specialist schools for many years.

There are some great schools around, but I do ask you to be realistic. If your DS is pre verbal, then he's likely to have other children who are also pre verbal in his class. Frustration in some of these children will often lead to challenging or anxiety induced behaviours. I don't think you can expect a class of classically 'well behaved' children in a specialist setting. It's generally behaviour that leads these children to be educated outside the mainstream.

Having said that, frustration caused by lack of expressive verbal communication is generally very well managed. Certainly in my classes, I found the quieter children copied far better than one would expect with the occasional outbursts and behaviours that they witnessed. Having teachers and TAs who they could trust to manage any issues in the room seemed to be all they needed. The stuff they could calmly ignore used to amaze me!

Look for schools that consistently use methods of augmentative communication, have SALT advice on tap, and clear behaviour policies. Your DS will probably enjoy having a peer group. Certainly the parents of those new to my classes found that. In mainstream or at home, they didn't. But my eclectic little bunches of kids all rubbed along and enjoyed each other's company, interacting in what ways they could, or just absorbing the interaction around them.

Good luck with the search.

I have heard good things about Egerton Rothesay but have no personal connection to it.

Grays Essex unless they have a sister school?

treetopsschool.org

Also Egerton Rothesay has a junior school, however not sure what level they support to (they are a SEN school but I don't know if they support preverbal children).

Eaton Dorney is a SEMH school. Pupils may have ASD as well, but their primary need is SEMH.

OP you can search for schools here. You can filter by special school (including type of special school), and also by type of SEN. Don’t filter by phase of education because it doesn’t work brilliantly for independent special schools who haven’t reported all their information.

Could try Freemantles in Surrey? A friend's son is there and doing well

Ripplevale School near Deal in Kent is wonderful. Takes boys from 6 to 18. Beautiful countryside setting as well.

Blossom House school

www.blossomhouseschool.co.uk/

jigsawschool.co.uk/

This is one in Surrey that a friend’s son attends.